Means for locating sunken vessels



Feb. 10, 1931.

s. s. STEVENS 1,791,910

MEANS FOR LOCATING SUNKEN VESSE'LS Filed May 2. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 10, 1931. 5 STEVENS 1,791,910

MEANS FOR LOCATING SUNKEN VESSELS Filed May 2, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .36 a G. Stea /e715 ammm Patented Feb. 10, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STANLEY G. STEVENS, OF NEW CANAAN, CONNECTICUT mnansron nooArme SUNKEN ,VESSELS Application filed M932, 1929. Serial No. 359,925.

a buoy which will float to the surface of the water and locate the sunken vessel. 1 The invention provides a buoy or signal device which is ordinarily carried upon the hull of the vessel and which may be released from any point within the vessel sothat itwill be permitted to rise to the surface. The 1nvention also provides means whereby, when the buoy or signal has reached the surface of the water, it will be so connected with the vessel that a rescuing party may easily establish communication'with the occupants of the submarine vessel. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings and consists in certain novel features which will be hereinafterfirst fully described and then more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section of a devlce embodying the invention showing the same arranged in its normal position and condition Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the buoy or signal device released andv at the surface of the water, and

Fig. 3 is a detail top plan view of an upper portion of the buoy.

The reference numeral 1 in the drawlngs indicates the deck of a submarine and the numeral 2 indicates the location of the ceiling. Secured rigidly in and extending through the deck and the ceiling 1s a cylindrical body 3 which is closed at its lower end by a permanent base 1 and is normally closed noted that the buoy is a hollow body tapered downwardly so as to fit within the cylindrical holder 3 and provided with an annular at its upper end by the buoy'5. It will be.

gasket 7 being secured upon the upperedge of said body so as to effect a watertight joint and prevent leakage of water into-the chamber defined by the body 3. The buoy has an eye or bracket 8 upon its side between its ends and to said eye or bracket is attached one end of an anchoring rope 9, the opposite end of which is attached to the base 4 in a similar manner as shown at 10, the intermediate por{ tion of the rope being coiled within the hot tom portion of the body 3 when the parts are inactive and in their'normal positions, as shown in Fig. 1. The cylindrical body 3 is provided with an annular shoulder or ledge ll within its interior above the base 4;, the wall ofthe body being ofiset, as clearly shown, to form said shoulder or ledge and the anchoring rope being coiled within the lower chamber defined by said ofi'set portion of the wall. A hose 12 is coiled within the upper portion of the body 3 and rests upon said ledge or shoulder 11, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, the hose having metal pipes 13 and 14' fitted to its opposite ends, the lower pipe 13 eXtending downwardly through the offset portion of the body 3 to a point within the submarine or other vessel and the pipe 14. being fixed in and extending through the buoy to project above the top thereof, as

clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Immediately above the top of the buoy, the pipe 14 is provided with a branch 15 which extends into a central boss 16 on the top of the buoy to communicate with the internally threaded bore 17 of said boss. Electric conducting wires 18 are carried through the hose 12 and the pipes 13 and 1 4 and are fitted tobinding posts, indicated at. 19, upon the top of thebuoy so that a rescuing party may easily establish telephonic communication with the occupants of the vessel, it being understood that within the vessel the wires 18 are connected to the telephone system of the vessel.

. The lower end of the buoy is constructed with a pocket 20 having an opening 21 in its 0- top arranged upon the vertical axis of the buoy. Within this pocket there fits a thimble 22 having a nipple 23 rising centrally from its upper end to pass through the opening 21. A tube tl passes axially through the nipple and has its upper end beveled inwardly to form a seat for the valve 24 which is carried by the locking rod 25 which extends axially through the body 3 and is threaded at its upper extremity, as shown at 26, to engage in the bore 17 of the boss 16. Upon the base 4 at the center of the same is an annular wall 27 housing a coiled expansion spring 28 which bears against an abutment 29 on the controlling rod 25 and also against a cap plate 30 which is secured upon the upper edge of the wall 27 in any convenient manner and is constructed with a central opening for the passage of the controlling rod 25. The plate 30 may be a flange on the lower end of the tube 41 which constitutes a guide for the controlling rod. Above the plate 30, there is a larger expansion spring 31 which bears upon said plate and also against the top of the thimble 22 and tends constantly to raise the thimble, the pressure exerted by the spring upon the thimble being transmitted directly to the top of the pocket 20 in the buoy, as will be understood. The lower end of the rod 25 extends down into the vessel and is equipped with a hand wheel 32 whereby it may be manipulated. In order that thedevice may be operated and controlled from any part of the vessel, a beveled gear 33 is secured upon the rod adjacent its lower extremity and meshes with similar gears 34 upon shafts 35 which extend longitudinally of the vessel and are equipped at intervals with hand wheels 36.

It will now be understood that normally the buoy is disposed within the upper portion of the cylindrical body 3 which defines chambers in which the hose and the anchoring cables are coiled. The controlling rod 25 is engaged in the bore 17 of the boss 16 and is turned home therein so that the buoy will be held clamped to the upper end of the body 3, the springs 28 and 31 being, consequently, under compression. Should some accident or other cause send the vessel to the bottom and it should be unable to return to the surface the controlling rod is rotated so as to be withdrawn from the boss 16 and the top of the buoy. The spring 31 will expand as the rod is withdrawn and will, consequently, impart an upward movement to the buoy and to the thimble 22 with the nipple 23 so that the buoy will be quickly freed from the rod and will rise to the surface. As soon as the rod is withdrawn from the bore 17, the spring 29 expands and causes the valve 24 to seat on the end of the guide tube 41 so that water cannot flow therethrough and down the rod. It will be noted that the diameter of the valve 24 is no greater than the diameter of the nipple 23 so that it offers no obstruction to the upward movement of the buoy, and the nipple may follow the buoy, although it will not rise to the surface with the buoy. lVhen the buoy is in its normal position shown in Fig. 1, the end of the controlling rod 25 passes across the end of the air passage in the boss 16 and closes the same but when the buoy is released, as shown in Fig. 2, the air passage is opened and air may readily pass into the same and thence flow down through the pipe 14, the hose and the pipe 13 to the interior of the passage, and it may be noted at this point that the pipe 13 is coupled into an air pipe 37 extending from end to end of the vessel and equipped at intervals with valved outlets 38 to which air pumps may be coupled if desired so that outside air may be positively drawn into the vessel. A cap 39 is threaded onto the top of the buoy and extends over the same and is provided adjacent its lower edge with openings 40 which will permit air to enter. Should any water enter it will be permitted to at once flow out inasmuch as the buoy will be constantly tossing in response to the action of the waves on the surface of the water. At its center, the cap 39 is provided with a head 42 which is hollow and provided with openings 43 through its wall, said openings being disposed behind an annular rim or rib 44 formed on the head whereby air may flow into the head but the entrance of water will be resisted. The interior of the head is in direct communication with the interior of the cap through an opening 45 and at the top of the head is mounted a lens or glass body 46 which is preferably colored. red and which will readily attract attention in either day or night. When a rescuing party has reached the buoy, the cap will be removed so as to provide access-to the wires 18 and permit telephonic communica tion with the occupants of the sunken vessel to be immediately established. Air will reach the interior of the vessel through the hose and will flow to the hose through the openings 43 in the hcadand thence through the opening 4-5 to the interior of the cap whence it will escape through the bore 1? and the air passage connected directly therewith.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be seen that I have provided an exceedingly simple and compact device which may be easily installed upon any submarine or other vessel and readily operated to release the buoy or signal which will at once float to the surface and accurately locate the sunken vessel. In many instances, grappling irons may be lowered from the rescuing vessel to connect with the sunken vessel and bring the same to the surface without requiring the services or": a diver but where such procedure is impractical the work of the diver is facilitated inasmuch as the location of the vessel is accurately indicated and the anchoring cable provides a guide for the diver in his descent.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. Means for locating sunken vessels comprising a body to be secured to the vessel, a buoy fitted within the upper end of the body, a controlling rod extending centrally through the body and the buoy releasably engaged with the top of the buoy, a valve seat in the lower portion of the buoy and free thereof, a valve on the rod engageable with said seat and normally free thereof, and means whereby when the controlling rod is released from the buoy the valve will be seated to prevent access of water to the vessel.

2. Means for locating sunken vessels comprising a holding body to be secured to a vessel, a buoy fitting in the upper end of the body and having a closed upper end, means for normally holding the buoy within the body, a cap removably secured on the upper end of the buoy and having openings therethrough, the cap and the top of the buoy defining an air chamber, and an air hose having one end portion extending through the buoy and secured on top of the upper end thereof and its opposite end disposed within the vessel, the buoy being constructed with an air passage within the cap in direct communication with the air hose, the means for holding the buoy within the body also serving to normally close said air 1 passage.

3. Means for locating sunken vessels comprising a body to be secured in the vessel, a buoy fitting within the upper end of the body and having a closed upper end, means for relea'sably securing the buoy to the body consisting of a rod extending through the bottom of the body and having its upper end threaded into the upper end of the buoy, a hollow removable cap fitted to the top of the buoy and having a central head with air passages therethrough, and an air hose having one end disposed within the vessel and its opposite end extending through and secured on the upper end of the buoy, the buoy having an air passage at its upper end upward when the controlling rod is released.

5. Means for locating a sunken vessel In testimony whereof I aifix m signature.

STANLEY G. STEVEN; 1,. 8.] 

